MTA spending $1 million to research rat birth control

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BROOKLYN, NY (PIX11) – Fresh on the heels of another fare hike, some people are a little upset to learn about the MTA’s new $1 million research project: rat birth control.

It’s part of an effort to help fix what’s long-been a major commuter complaint. The MTA is rumored to be researching a new birth control bait to cut back on the rat population. It wouldn’t hurt the rats, only make them sterile by inducing early menopause in females.

Funding for project, however, is coming from the National Institutes for Health, and not the MTA budget. The research would supposedly focus on what would best attract them to the bait.

When asked about the project, the MTA released this statement to PIX11 news.

“We are extremely sensitive to complaints of rodents…and if it proves successful it would add another layer to our ongoing efforts to reduce the numbers of rodents in the subway system.”